Finding Love
by deathwalker17
Summary: For the past 16 years of Hermione Granger's life, she has been brutally abused at home and no one knows. She hasn't felt love since the day she was born and she's realizing that she needs it now more than ever. Who will she turn to in her greatest time of need and who will she trust to hold her fragile heart? Hermione/Minerva pairing


**Disclaimer- I own nothing. **

**Warning- This might get pretty graphic (abuse, torture, suicidal thoughts, etc.) and it will eventually be a Hermione/Minerva pairing, so if any of that bothers you. I would recommend not reading this. **

**Chapter 1: **

Hermione's POV-

I try to hold in my gasp of pain as I gently lower myself onto the floor of my "room", also known as the basement. I have been sleeping on this same cold cement floor since I was three years old, except for the large part of the year that I am at Hogwarts, so by now I'm used to the hardness against my body. I roll onto my side, trying to relieve the pressure off my newly welted back. Closing my eyes, I try to think of happy thoughts instead of being forced to continuously relieve the nightmare that I just lived through. Failing I realize that this happened because of a single tea cup… that is why I am lying here silently sobbing in pain, because I dropped a single solitary tea cup.

_***Flashback* **_

_ "Hermione!" my father screams at the top of his lungs, "Get your useless ass up here and make your mother and I a cup of tea." _

_ I run up the steep stairs from the basement and into the kitchen. I immediately start heating the water and collecting the tea pot and cups from the cupboard. The kettle starts whistling and I pour the water into the pot. Placing everything on a tray, I walk into the living room trying not to drop anything. _

_ "It's about time you useless brat," my mother says to me. _

_ I lower my head and don't reply. I placed the tray onto the coffee table and began pouring the tea. Handing the first cup to my mother, I reach for the second and as I give it to my father, my grasp on the cup slips and the contents of the cup fall onto my father's legs. _

_ "Oh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I…I… didn't mean to," I say while grabbing napkins and unsuccessfully trying to dry his pants. I can almost predict what will happen next. _

_ "You bitch!" he screams at me, "Don't lie to me, you purposefully did that you ungrateful little monster!"_

_ I can only watch as his hand reaches towards me and smacks me across the cheek. _

_ "You think just because you are a witch and are leaving again tomorrow for that foolish school of yours that you can act however you want? Well, you are far from correct young lady," he says to me while taking his belt of his pants. _

_ He lifts me up of the ground and throws me across the room so I land sprawled out on the floor. I feel the crack of multiple ribs from the harsh landing as he walks towards me. All I can do is whimper as he cracks the belt buckle against my back time and time again. I feel the blood running down onto the floor through my clothes. Eventually my father gets bored, grabs ahold of my ankle, and drags me to the door that leads down to the basement. _

_ "You tell anyone about this and I will make sure that you never breathe again," he hisses into my ear as he leans over to lift me into a sitting position by my hair, "Got it?"_

_ I slowly nod my head and within seconds I feel his boot kick me in the back pushing me down the stairs. _

_***End of Flashback* **_

Shivering, I pull myself out of the flashback and try to stand up of the floor knowing that I need to pack my trunk for tomorrow. Slowly I am able to lift myself to my feet and walk to the other side of the basement to where my trunk is laying. I lift the lid and slowly start packing my robes, books, and essentials. "He has never beaten me right before I go back to school after Christmas break," I mutter to myself. It is going to be hard to hide my cracked ribs, bruised cheek, and destroyed back from everyone, I realized this slowly starting to panic. I focus on finishing with my packing. Once I finished, I take my shirt off, ignoring the pain in my ribs, and walk to the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. Reaching for the bottle of peroxide and bandages that I have hidden, I pour the liquid down my back, hissing in pain as it bubbling, cleaning my wounds. I do my best to wrap my back with the bandages and pull a clean shirt on.

I sit back down onto the ground and gently lean against the wall, I sit like this until morning arrives. Finding the strength deep within me once morning arrives, I stand and walk back to the cracked mirror and stare at my bruised face… it will be the hardest thing to hide from everyone until I get to Hogwarts and can cast a glamor charm. Changing my back bandages, I reach for my makeup and carefully apply it to my face, trying my hardest to make my face look unblemished. Completing this, I change clothes, grab my trunk, and slowly I make my way up the basement stairs while trying to be as quiet as possible.

I walk through the living room and grab my jacket off the coat rack. Opening the door, I rush out of the house and reach into my pocket for the coin that I charmed into a port key before I left Hogwarts for Christmas break. Holding on tight, I feel the pull and when I open my eyes I am in a back alley across the street from the train station. Hoping I won't be stopped by anyone before I reach the train, I put the hood of my jacket up and move as quickly as I am able to, to the platform and board the train after leaving my trunk with everyone else's. Finding an empty compartment, I sit closest to the window and close my eyes waiting for Harry and Ron to join.

'I hope I can pull this off,' is my last thought before I fall asleep, exhausted and in unimaginable pain.


End file.
